Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Ember of Hope
by TheCharredDragon
Summary: I did nothing and yet I was changed and dropped into this world. I guess it's not all bad, I've made some friends and I on an adventure. But when you're life falls around you, it's easy to forget the good things.
1. Chapter 1: Transformation

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Ember of Hope

Chapter 1: Transformation

It was dark and damp. I could smell radiator oil all the way here. And I sat in my place, too cold to move or talk. I could strangely see my misty breath even though it was dark. I shiver even more as the temperature of my body drops again. I tried to remember how I got here in the first place—I was sure I knew—and yet my mind kept turning up blanks. I groan as the cold around me gets even colder. I'm surprised I haven't died yet.

No, the cold was distracting me again. I have to remember why I am here but…I…can't…

I think even harder, making more heat escape my skin. But the more I try to remember, the more I forget why I'm here, like trying to keep ahold of a slippery fish. I try to remember even harder and then I realize something.

_What am I?_

I look to my hands, forgetting I was even cold, but found that I could not see my hands. I start to panic. What happened? Am I blind? Am I handless? Or is it just dark? No, I could see a light from atop of me. I try to move to see if there's anything around me, but I realize I could not move. I begin to panic even more. I struggle against my invisible restraints, but nothing happens. My breath quickens and I struggle even harder. But then I stop upon hearing a word.

_**Cease.**_

My breath slows down to normal. The voice sounded familiar but I couldn't place who it was. Suddenly, I felt like my body was shifting around me. Strangely, it wasn't painful, but I heard the sound you would hear when you're jiggling meat or fat. I could feel myself getting shorter, my fingers and arms as well. But my head shifted its shape instead of shortening. My mouth and nose feel like they merge and elongate ever so slightly. And I felt something come out of my rear.

The shifting started to become uncomfortable, and so I start squirming. The sickly sound continued as I felt myself being reshaped. I squirmed even more as it actually started to hurt. I begin to groan as my chest felt like it was on fire and my skin feeling like it was being pinched in a million places. But then...

_**Cease, I said. Cease!**_

My body obeys the command even though it now feels like it's going through hell…Wait a second…What is hell?

Then, my brain feels like it's been set on fire as well. I scream in agony as my mind tried to off the mental fire. As if it could. I started kicking and bucking, the pain growing more intense. I could feel as if the fire was burning my memories into ashes. I let an agonizing scream as I felt the pain skyrocket beyond my threshold. I slump in my position, now feeling like I'm in a chair. I pant and gasp as I realize that the pain made it excruciatingly difficult to remember my memories, whatever they were.

_**It is complete. Shall I…?**_

I hear the voice say. I looked around, now that I feel like I'm in an actual body. My eyes are open, but all I could see was a deep dark purple void with a bright white light on top of me. Suddenly, the place started to tremble and shake, my restraints disappearing, and then I felt the ground under me was pulled and I started to fall.

I screamed, even though the back of my mind said that it was pointless. I could feel I was tumbling out of control but I did nothing as I heard an important and familiar voice that I couldn't remember, utter a sentence.

"She is nothing to me… Not anymore…"

And then everything turned white. Slowly, my vision starts to make out colors and hues and once the image was settled, I felt I was dropped onto the ground from a few inches above it. My memories were swarming to me even though they were smoldered. I tried to keep my hold on them but my ordeal earlier has left me tired and I start to feel lightheaded.

I battled my fatigued body to stay awake. I'm not sure why, but those memories were important. But even my mind was tired and soon I lost the battle and drift into unconsciousness.

* * *

I groaned in pain as I started to awaken. I slowly opened my eyes, the slowing the process. Soon, I fully open my eyes but then I regret it and squeeze them shut from the brightness of the sun…

Wait…What is a sun?

I panic, although I'm not entirely sure why, and stand up. But I quickly regret that when my whole body protested as it was sore. I wobble before I sit down, but it doesn't calm me one bit. I started to breath rapidly. One part of my head was panicking because it said that something was wrong. I tried to find what was wrong and started to clutch my head in concentration.

I did my absolute best, but I couldn't remember anything that could prove the situation was wrong. I let my arms fall to my sides and then I sigh. But then I saw orange feet with claws as toes in front of me. Where are my feet? Those can't be my feet, can they? I then feel an itch on my foot and start scratching it. I then realize that I was scratching the orange foot.

In shock, I stopped itching the foot. I then tried to wiggle my toes and then the claw toes of the orange foot wiggle. I started to dread this for some reason. I then move my foot around and the more I moved it, the more my brain thought it was wrong; dead wrong. My heart starts to beat faster and then I did what anyone would do when shocked. I screamed and start to run in circles.

"This isn't right. _This isn't right_. _**THIS ISN'T RIGHT!**_"

I start to slow down and relax. I look at the ground as I breathed in deeply. But then I felt something I never felt before. It felt like a limb, but I don't remember having one on my butt. I then sniffed the air when I smelled something. I recognize the smell as smoke, but I couldn't see the source. I continue to sniff as I looked for the source. Slowly, I looked behind me and saw some grass on fire.

"Oh, it's fire…" But then I realize something; fire is dangerous. "Fire!" I shout and the first thing I did was start stamping it out. I grunted with each stomp as I slowly put the fire out before it spread. I sighed after I stamped out the last ember. But then I remembered what I saw that caused the fire.

_Was that a tail?_

I quickly turn to see my rear and indeed, there was a tail. But that wasn't the thing surprised me, it was that there was a little fire on the tip of it was what surprised me. For some reason, it didn't strike me as strange. In fact, the little ember made me curious when I watched it burn merrily. I reach for my tail and examine the flame closely.

The fire didn't seem to be harmful. In fact, it felt comfy when I waved my hand through it. The part of my brain that panicked earlier was calming down a bit, as if it knew that at least I'm something I was familiar with. But I still had no idea what I was, and so, I start questioning that. So far, I know that I'm not whatever I was and my new body, I guess, was something I was familiar with. But I couldn't put my finger on why it was familiar. So I shrug, seeing that was all I know so far.

I start to pay attention to where I am as I heard the whistle of a bird, whatever a bird is. I'm surrounded by lots of trees and bushes, meaning I'm in some kind of forest, I think. For some reason, I don't feel very worried once I wondered why I panicked and I ended up smiling.

But then, I quickly turn around when I heard rustling behind me. And then, I heard a bellow, and it was here when my instincts told me to…

"RUN!"

I stumbled a bit as I was running since I wasn't used to such short legs. But I get the hang of it shortly, since my life depends on it. I heard various heavy footsteps and grumbles. I speed up my pace, not wanting to get eaten. I continue to run but I could hear them getting closer.

Curse these short legs! As I ran even faster, my curiosity starts to nag me as to what is chasing me. Even though I felt I was gonna regret this, I looked behind me and saw a terrifying, metal grey dinosaur with its mouth wide open. But that was the only monster I saw before something—probably a low branch, conked me on the back of my head. I felt myself do one somersault before I land roughly and my vision starts to fade.

_N-no! I have to run…_

As my vision darkens, I started hearing voices.

"Did you see that?"

"Should we bring her?"

"Of course! She's going out!"

Weird, they sounded like normal voices. Not like the grisly voice I imagined. And then…I was unconscious…


	2. Chapter 2: Pokemon

Chapter 2: Pokémon

"Chaps, I think she's waking up."

I groan and start opening my eyes.

"You're right!"

When I fully open my eyes, my vision was blurry at first but it got clearer. I saw different colors and hues until they finally settled and I saw a light blue crocodile with a red crest on top right in front of me.

"Great! You're awake! Guys, go tell Boba the Charmander's awake."

What, Charmander? Is that what I am? But wait….that crocodile is talking, crocodiles aren't supposed to talk, right? And don't crocodiles kill—I froze at a revelation and scream, startling the weird croc. I stand up and push off the guy away. I started to run, again, my brain telling me that the blue and yellow croc was dangerous and something about it was wrong.

"Wah! Hey! Where're you going?"

My heart sped up its beat and my legs quicken their pace. I don't care where I'm going, as long as it's away from here. But that was a mistake as I found that I was running towards a wall. I skid to a stop before I conk my head again, but that gave the croc a chance to pounce on me. Which he did do, and now I'm lying on the floor with him on my back. I struggle against him but his weight kept me down.

"Calm down! I'm not gonna hurt ya." He pauses. "Oh wait, I just hurt you, so the right thing to would be 'I'm not gonna kill ya'."

I calm down and laugh a bit in my head at the crocodile's reasoning. There's no need to change the whole thing, but it did make more sense. My heart and breathing slows down, but the part of my brain that panicked earlier was still unsettled. The crocodile that tackled me noticed I calmed down, and so, got off of me.

After he got off, I roll over and lay on my back. Not sure why I did that, but I didn't feel like standing up yet. I started to breathe deeply; tired from the short sprint, while I wonder why I panicked in the first place. I mean, he wasn't harming me in any way but there was still something wrong about him talking and me understanding.

"Ya seem to be a bit strange to me, but I guess you were thinking I was dangerous, huh?" He hit the nail on the head all right, I wonder if he can read minds.

I nod although he didn't need any kind of answer. I saw the croc offer me his hand. I stare at it for a moment before grasping it. Slowly, he pulled me up and balanced me on my legs before letting go and smiling. And then, he extends his hand. I look at it again and then I remember handshakes, so I took hold of it and shook it.

"Hey, name's Caine and I'm from Fretter Village." He said after I let go of his hand the second time. "I'm the only Croconaw from that place."

Croconaw? That seems to ring a bell. But this Fretter Village doesn't seem familiar at all.

"Hi, nice to meet you Caine."

"Great to meet 'cha too." After a moment, he talks again. "So, where're ye from?"

On impulse, I open my mouth to answer but then I shut it when I realize I have nothing to say.

"Wha's the matter? Meowth got ye tongue?"

I shook my head before saying, "I don't remember…."

Caine looks at me with confusion. "What? Ya can't remember?"

I nod.

"Huh, um, that's weird…Um…...Can ya remember ye name?" I think on it before I shook my head. "This ain't good. How ya gonna get home?" Just as I Caine the Croconaw was about to say something else, the door slams open, disturbing us.

It was only now that I notice that I'm in a pretty big room with various beds and tables as three creatures come through said door. The smallest of the three creatures was on four legs, looked a bit like a dinosaur but with a flat face, and has a big plant bulb on its back. The second tallest was similar to the smallest in the fact it looks like it's covered in plants. It was snake-like in form and had two legs. It also looked a little like it was a royal. And the last one, the tallest of the three, was completely different compared to the two.

From where I am, I could see its back was dark blue in color, as well as the top of its head. It had two stub-like ears and the rest of its body was cream in color. It was twice the size of the grass snake and it was bipedal. It wore an emerald scarf around its neck and its form was closest to a badger. Except for its head, which had no snout, but isn't flat either. I'm not really sure how to say it…..

The three start walking to me and Caine. When they were in front of us, the badger guy was staring at me with his brow raised, like he was waiting for me to say something. But the guy was a bit scary, since he was about three times my height. So I was tongue tied, having no idea what I should say. But thankfully, Caine was the first to slice the silence.

"Hey Boba! I got somethin' to tell ya! She-"

"Ug! Caine, not so loud, I'm right in front of you, you know." Boba interrupts. "And I can see she's awake, but did you find out anything about her?"

"Oy, that's the thing. She can't remember a thing about herself."

At this, Boba and the two others turn to Caine and stare at him the same way he looked at me moments ago, except that their stares were more inclined to disbelief then confusion.

"Nothing?"

"Aye, not even her name."

Boba turns back to me with his expression a bit hard to describe. It looked like disbelief, confusion, and another thing I can't place, before looking like he realized something.

"Huh, you must have hit your head pretty hard when Iron's squad found you." He assumed, but I quickly dissolve that by shaking by head. "Oh? Then can you tell us what you can remember?"

And so I took a deep breath before I start talking. "Well in short, I woke up in a forest, panicked, calmed down, got scared, ran, got hit in the head, and I think I fainted, then I woke up again, got scared again and now I'm explaining what happened."

"Okay. Go on."

"Okay, now I don't really remember anything, not even what in the world you guys are, and I seem to not remember some things that might be common knowledge."

"Is that all?"

"Um, yeah, that's pretty much it."

After I explained that, Boba was humming in thought.

"Hmm, this is rather strange. Amnesia doesn't do that." I hear him mumble. "Okay, this complicates your situation. I'm going to have to speak with the Protection Team Management in here." He stands up and makes way for the door. "Stay here okay?"

As he exits the room, I realize I left something out. "Boba, wait! I forgot that I wasn't always a-" but Boba was gone by the time I finish my sentence. "Charmander….."

I stared at the door, which is in front of me by a few feet since I ran. I felt like going after him to tell him, but I didn't want to get lost in the possible maze behind the door. Then, I feel like someone was staring at me strangely, so I turn around and saw Caine, the grass snake and the plant dinosaur stare at me with confused, intrigued and "What…..?" expressions.

"What do you mean by 'wasn't always a Charmander'?" The plant-o-saur said, the voice sounding like a girl's.

I saw no harm in saying it, so I said it. "Well, I know for sure I didn't know what I am until Caine told you two to get your Boba friend."

"So what _were_ you?" The grass snake asked this time.

I didn't think about it much since I first woke up, mainly because I got distracted, so I think about it again. Well, maybe if I paid close attention to what I do, maybe—

_**You're a good person….and a good friend….**_

My train of thought was interrupted by that ghostly voice. It sounded familiar, even friend-like, but I can't remember exactly who. But that simple ghostly sentence made me remember what I am. And for some reason, remembering it made me smile.

"Well, I think I used to be a person."

But when I finish my sentence, the three of them look at me with shock and bewilderment.

"You were a human!?" The two plant creatures shouted at me. I wiped my face of the spit they accidently spat in a disgusted manner.

"Well, yeah, is something wrong with that?"

The two grass guys—um, guy and girl, look at each other with the "What….?" faces, as if I said the silliest thing in the world. Caine on the other hand looked ecstatic.

"A human! Well, preen my teeth, this is the first time I met one!"

I found it a bit confusing as to why they were shouting and making faces by the fact that I'm a person. I mean, it's not like people are special or rare, right?

"Technically, she's a Charmander." The flower bulb dinosaur mumbled.

"Oy, stop bein' a boon kicker Lilian." Caine turns back to me and starts shaking my hand again. "You know it feels great to meet a human ya know."

His shaking starts to hurt so I pull my arm and make my face scowl. Caine sees this and he feels a bit guilty. "Oy, sorry 'bout that. I get a too little excited sometimes." Caine chuckles in the end.

"Yeah, well, I've got some things to do." Lilian abruptly says.

"Yeah, me too chaps. Cheerio." Steve also says.

I saw Steve go to his bed in another part of the room while Lilian went out the door as what looked like a mini brachiosaur with crests on its head come through. I turn back to Caine.

"So, what now?"

Caine starts to concentrate in thought. After some time—maybe three minutes, he answers.

"Well, since ya don't have a name, might as well think of what to call ya. Unless you wanna be called 'Charmander'."

He did have a good point; I don't think I want to be called "Charmander" all the time. So I think on it. As I think it, I start feeling a fuzzy feeling in my head. Kind of like how dust feels like on skin. But I didn't think too much of it, I mean I conked my head, and who knows how many times? I continue to think, and then a thought comes to mind.

"How about Catherine?"

Caine thinks for a moment before nodding. "All right. Catherine it is."

After he says that, the fuzzy feeling in my head disappears. But just as we were about to talk, the door opens and catches our attention. In the doorway was a sky blue, biped turtle with a mahogany-pale yellow shell. It looked around until it spotted us.

"There you are Caine, I was looking for you." The turtle walked towards us. "Boba wants you two in the lobby. He has something important to say."

"All right." Caine stands up and makes way for the door. As he was about to exit, he turns to me. "Ain't ya comin' Cath?" He says and then walks out. I scramble up and follow Caine out the door. I didn't want to get left behind and lost!


	3. Chapter 3: Assignment?

Chapter 3: Assignment?

I followed Caine through the rather crowded hallway. And when I mean crowded, I really mean crowded. I was surprised that I could even pass through. But I guess that's something that the laws of physics can't really explain, considering being a Charmander probably breaks several laws already. I saw all kinds of Pokémon as we walked through. Furry ones, scaly ones, and exotic ones like that mushroom Pokéball-cap Pokémon—I'm not sure what a Pokéball does, but I know it looks like a ball with white on one side, and red on another. Like that cap and hands of that mushroom Pokémon.

The hallways looked like they were carved out by something, or someone. The hallways were the color of sandstone and were well lit by torches that were covered in, at least to me, a crystal blue orb at the area where the fire burns that were evenly spaced on the walls. I notice that the Pokémon that were passing by were either in a rush to get something done or going casually, like they were on a break.

And then I remember Boba mentioning "Protection Teams". I wonder what Protection Teams are. Maybe they had something to do with why the Pokémon that passed by acted that way.

"Are we there yet?" I asked because I was getting tired.

"We're almost there, don't worry," Caine assured me.

I sigh and then we continue to walk for maybe three minutes or so before I saw the end of the hallway. Upon exiting, I saw that the lobby was HUGE. It looked like it could fit a Sauroposeidon—a type of sauropod—in it. On some parts of the walls, I could see some boards which I assumed where bulletin boards when I saw papers pinned onto them, and several Pokémon looking at said papers. To my far left, I could see some sort of reception desk with a weird looking duck that kind of looked like it was made of blocks floating behind it.

I follow Caine to wherever he spotted Boba, who was near one of the bulletin boards. As we got closer, I noticed that Boba was talking to what looked like a smaller version of his kind. When we were close, Boba and tiny clone of Boba notice us. The original Boba puts up a smile when we were in front of them.

"Ah Caine, glad you're here. Before I tell you why I called you and her, allow me to introduce my brother, Techro." Boba gestures to the smaller version of himself and Techro just scoffed.

"Hi…?" I wasn't really sure what to say other than that. All I got in return was a hum.

Boba looks back at us. "I spoke to the Management about your situation and they decided that if you're assigned to a Protection Trainee Squad, they're willing to let you stay here. So under that accordance, I suggested to them that you would be assigned to Caine's Trainee Squad." He paused to take a breath. "So with that, they have finally allowed Caine's Trainee Squad to be trained under to you Techro," he finishes, earning different reactions from each of us.

Caine had a huge grin on his face and looked so happy, I was afraid he might burst from happiness. Me? I wasn't so sure on what to think of it, mainly because I still don't know what are Protection Teams and all those terms Boba said. But at least I have somewhere to stay. I wonder if all these Protection Team Management are very compassionate. Techro, on the other hand, didn't react even vaguely similar to our reactions.

He looked completely outraged and the first sentence I hear him say only proves it. "What!? These peasants are being assigned to me?! How come I wasn't involved?!" he yelled.

Boba turned to Techro, his face stern and ticked off, and he certainly voiced it well. "Look, her situation complicated, so I had to inform the Management immediately and, like I said earlier, the Management believes it would be best if she stayed here until her condition improves."

Techro still looks pretty mad, even though the reason was explained. He still complied anyway, which confuses me a bit, but then he scoffed, probably from annoyance. Boba gave a satisfied nod before turning to me. "All right then it's settled. You will stay in Caine's Squad until you recover. And Caine—" he turns to Caine. "Please don't get in trouble." He then turns to Techro. "And Techro, I don't want to hear your ego getting in the way again, all right?" he says, earning another scoff from Techro, before walking off.

As he leaves, he states that he's going to Zygot Central and soon he's gone completely from our sights. Our eyesight locks again after he left and Techro beams us an unhappy face. "So, you have a name?" he says.

"It's Catherine."

"Hmph, all right. I'm busy today, so your group's training starts tomorrow. In the meantime, Caine, tell your squad the news and show _Catherine_ around," Techro orders before walking off too. Caine then faces me.

"Al' right, like what Techro said, I'll have ta tell the gang before I show ya around," he repeats, probably to get the point straight, and then he heads to where we came through. I then follow him.

As we go back, I think now would be a good time to say my questions. "How come I have to be assigned to these Protection Trainee Group to stay here?"

"Well, as much as they wanna let refugees and all stay, they can't afford it. They can only let refugees and the like for a week and then they have ta leave. But they can afford Trainee's stayin' 'cause they need all the Protectors they can get," Caine explains and I nod to signify I heard. But the last thing he said led to another question.

"What are Protection Teams anyway?"

"What? Ya don't—oh, I a'most forgot. Bad amnesia. Well, Protection Teams were created a few years after the war started."

At the mention of war, my brain freezes. "War?"

"Yeah, a war. Has lasted 'bout a few thousand years, give or take a few hun'red years." Caine says casually. My breath hitches when Caine said, "a few thousand years." I mean, can a war really last that long?

Caine continues his explanation. "'member that there neutrals to wars? Well, as the war got worst, those neutral got more scared to go ta other places 'cause of the war. So, Protection Teams were made. Tha's how they started and tha's why they're called that. Sometime later, Protection Teams became a police force for neutrals and that's pretty much it," he finishes his unexpected lecture and then he opens the door to the barracks.

Upon entering, I saw that there were more Pokémon than just Lilian and Steve. There was that turtle that told us to see Boba, a gecko with a literally bushy tail, a yellow lizard with frill "ears", a purple rattlesnake and, to my shock and horror, a big, sky blue dragon with axe wings talking to Steve. I stood near Caine in fright as we moved closer to Steve and the menacing dragon. When we were very close, the two reptiles notice us.

"Oh Caine, is there something you wish to speak about?" Steve asked in a rather, bitter tone? I couldn't tell…

"Yeah, Boba has finally made our group a Protection Trainee Squad! And we start tomorrow al' right?" Caine answered, very quickly might I add.

Steve's expression for a split second changed from bored and stern to absolutely shocked—the bad kind of shocked I think—before resuming his emotionless mask, with a tint of anger, I think. "All right then. I'll tell everyone of the new development _Caine_, and you can resume whatever you were doing, if you want." He turns to the dragon. "Cheerio Melee." He then leaves while Caine turns to me.

"So, where ya want me to take ya first?"

Before I could answer, my stomach starts to grumble, reminding me I haven't eaten recently. I clutch my stomach and answer, "How about somewhere to eat?"

"Al' righty. I'm hungry too anyway, so le's go to da mess hall," he comments and then he heads out the door. And of course I follow.

As we walk there, I talk with Caine and ask him all the Pokémon I've seen so far. Well, most of them. Since for some reason I was able to remember the name of this black fox called a Zorua I saw pass by earlier. Eventually, we reach the mess hall with a sign that probably said its name (I couldn't understand the writing they used). We went to what looked similar to a buffet line and Caine got in line and choose several berries before putting them on a tray that he got earlier. At the end of the line, I saw him drop what looked like coins to a Pokémon who was the cashier, or at least I think it was.

Now we were looking for a table and Caine seemed to be having a difficult time holding up our tray, but he told me he was fine. I searched the crowded place for free seats or table, but so far I didn't find any. But then I saw a table with a dragon that looked like it was drawn by a toddler, a ball of gas with a face and a humanoid, animal, yellow thing with a rather large mustache and their table had free seats.

I tap Caine's shoulder and point to the table. He looks at it for a second before making his way toward the table with me tailing him.

"G' day fellas, mind if me and my buddy sit 'ere with ya?" Caine asked.

The crude dragon was the one to speak up. "Sure. Have a seat," she spoke, gesturing to the area beside her.

The table was simple and made of clay with only one leg. The leg in question was shaped like an hourglass while the chair—um bench, that was also made of clay and that was blockish and curved around the table. I sat down beside the dragon while Caine sat down to the left of me and placed our tray between the two of us.

"I ain't seen ya guys before, you three new?" Caine quickly questioned.

This time, it was the mustache one who answered. "Mostly. We've only been a team for a week and it wasn't easy."

"Don't you mean, 'it was hell,'?" the gas ball interjected.

"Yeah-yeah-yeah, whatever…"

The dragon chuckled and then munched on what I think was a berry. I didn't pay much attention to what they were saying after they introduced themselves (Bregiya the Druddigon, Oparinius the Gastly [Opius for short] and Arayzel the Kadabra), and after they told us their team name was "Team Supernatural", Caine gave me a berry that was called a "Pecha Berry", which now I was examining it. It was pink and heart-shaped with some tiny leaves at the top of the heart.

I took a bite out of it and let me tell you that it tested great. The sweetness was as high as it could be without becoming too much, and the juices were refreshing. I licked the juices that were left on my lips before I grabbed more of those berries and ate those as well. After a while, all of us ate our meals, with me coughing a bit as I made the mistake of eating a Rawst Berry by itself, and then went our separate ways.

We make a quick stop back at the lodgings with Caine getting a brown and a red sash before we head into the direction of the lobby, but I start to wonder…

"Caine, what are we doing exactly?"

"We're getting ready by headin' ta town."


End file.
